Homemade Chicken Mac and Cheese

Homemade Chicken Mac and Cheese - Tender noodles, juicy chicken, and smoky bacon smothered in a beautifully seasoned, rich and creamy cheese sauce gets baked with a crispy topping until golden and bubbly!

Mac and cheese has got to be one of the most comforting comfort foods of all time! There’s nothing better than rich and creamy macaroni and cheese, but when you make it with add-ins like lobster mac and cheese or mac and cheese with ham, it's even better!

In this case, we’re adding cooked chicken and smoky bacon and it’s just as delicious. It’s made with a homemade velvety cheese sauce, then baked with a crispy breadcrumb topping. So good!

This easy baked macaroni and cheese with chicken and bacon is a versatile dish that can be enjoyed as a meal on its own or as a side dish for Sunday supper or your holiday dinner table!

Jump to:

• Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• Cooking Tips
• Ingredients for Homemade Mac and Cheese Recipe
• How to Make Mac and Cheese
• Variations and Substitutions
• Recipe FAQs
• More Baked Pasta Dishes
• 📖 Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Everyone loves macaroni and cheese!
• With just 25 minutes of baking time, it’s ready in under an hour!
• It’s all done in a single skillet, which means minimal clean-up.
• A cost-effective, family-friendly dish that is great for using leftovers.
• It can be customized to your liking! Different cheeses, proteins, and topping ideas.

Cooking Tips

• Cook the noodles to al dente so they’re not overcooked once they come out of the oven.
• Adding salt to the boiling water is a great way to give the noodles extra flavor.
• Adding butter to the cooked pasta helps prevent the noodles from sticking together. You can use a bit of olive oil instead, if you prefer.
• Try as best as you can to get a smooth, lump-free mixture before adding the cheese. This will help to avoid lumps of flour in the cheese sauce.
• Watch the baked macaroni and cheese with chicken and bacon as it bakes in the oven. You don’t want to overdo it; otherwise, the topping will burn!

Ingredients for Homemade Mac and Cheese Recipe

• Pasta: I use penne macaroni for this recipe, but you can use your favorite pasta. Bow ties, fusilli, shells, or even elbow can be used. Cook to al dente, according to package directions.
• Butter: You’ll need enough butter for the pasta (to keep it from clumping), the cheese sauce, and the breadcrumb topping.
• Chicken: Cut a cooked rotisserie chicken into cubes. If you’ve got leftover cooked chicken, now is a good time to use it up!
• Bacon: Cook bacon sliced on a baking sheet in a 400F degree oven for 10 minutes. Then, cut it into small pieces.
• For the topping: Panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, and sea salt make a crispy golden topping.
• Flour: For the roux, which thickens the cheese sauce.
• Whole milk: I prefer whole milk for the sauce to give it a rich, thick consistency. You can use whatever milk you keep on hand; however, it may alter the thickness.
• Cheeses: Freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese go into my creamy chicken and pasta bake recipe. I love the combination of both.
• Seasoning: Garlic powder, onion powder, and dried oregano.

Check the recipe card for the exact ingredients and quantities you need to create a delicious dish!

How to Make Mac and Cheese

Step 1: First, preheat the oven to 350°F. That way it’s ready when you’re done assembling the mac and cheese. Then, while the pasta cooks, combine the breadcrumbs, melted butter, and salt in a small bowl. Mix until it looks like wet sand and set it aside.

Step 2: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Sprinkle in the flour and continuously whisk for a minute until the butter and flour become a paste.

Step 3: Pour in milk, whisking to ensure the flour mixture dissolves into the milk. Continue adding the rest of the milk while constantly whisking until you have a smooth, lump-free mixture. Mix in the seasoning.

Step 4: Continue to whisk for about 5-8 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cheese. It doesn’t need to be fully melted; it will continue to melt in the oven.

Step 5: Season to taste and then add in the cooked pasta, chicken, and bacon. Give everything a good stir and then sprinkle with the breadcrumb topping. Bake for 25 minutes until the top is lightly golden.

Garnish with chopped parsley and black pepper, if desired. Enjoy!

Variations and Substitutions

• Play around with the types of cheese! I think sharp cheddar cheese is always a staple, but you can combine it with your other favorites. Gruyere, Swiss, Gouda, Brie, goat cheese, or even cream cheese would be great. You can also use just cheddar on its own.
• For a spicy kick, you could use a spicy pepper jack or Colby jack cheese. You can also sprinkle some cayenne pepper into the cheese sauce.
• If you prefer a creamier mac and cheese without a crumb topping, you can skip the oven altogether and eat it straight from the stove.
• Swap the bacon for diced ham, the chicken for pulled pork, or omit the protein and add in some cauliflower or broccoli florets instead.
• Add some buffalo sauce to your cheese sauce for a Buffalo chicken mac and cheese!

Recipe FAQs

More Baked Pasta Dishes

• Easy Baked Ziti with Meat
• Creamy Chicken Pasta Bake with White Wine Sauce
• Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
• Shrimp Pasta Bake
• Beshbarmak (Chicken Pasta Recipe)

📖 Recipe

Happy Cooking!